System of electrical distribution.



No. 735,171. PATENTED AUG. 4, 1903.

s. B. STEWART, JR. SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31,1902.

NO MODEL.

WITNESSES: INVENTO I HZQ Patented August 4, 1903.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL B. STEWART, JR., OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERALELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NET/V YORK.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 735,171, dated August4, 1903.

Application filed May 31. 1902. Serial No- 109,604. (No model.) I

To a whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL B. STEWART, J12, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady, State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Systemsof Electrical Distribution, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to systems of electrical distribution in which anelectromagnetic switch is used for the purpose of connecting atranslating device to a main source of power and in which an auxiliarysource of power is used for the purpose of operating the electromagneticswitch primarily, the electromagnetic switch being maintained in itsclosed position by the current from the main source of power.

The invention has for its main object to simplify the operation ofconnecting the actuating-coil of the electromagnetic switch to theauxiliary source of power and the main source of power, respectively,and of connecting the auxiliary source of power to the main source ofpower in order to recharge the former from the latter.

My invention relates more particularly to surface contact railwaysystems in which electromagnetic switches are employed to connect thefeeder to the sections of a sectional conductor or to surface contactsand in which an auxiliary source of power, such as a storage batterycarried by the car, is used for the purpose of primarily energizing theactuatingcoils of the electromagnetic switches, and has for itsparticular object to simplify the operation of throwing the auxiliarysource of power intoand out of circuit when energizing theelectromagnetic switch and of recharging said auxiliary source of powerfrom the main source of power.

My invention as embodied in a system of electrical distributioncomprises an electromagnetic switch for connecting the main source ofpower with a translating device, such as a motor or motors on a car, anda normally open switch, one point of which is connected to the auxiliarysource of power, a second point or contact being connected to theactuating-coil of the electromagnetic switch and also to the main sourceof power through a large resistance and the contacts of one or more ofthe said electromagnetic switches when the system is in normaloperation,and a third point to the main source of power through a smallresistance or a fractional part of said large resistance and theelectromagnetic-switch contacts.

My invention further comprises means, such as an auxiliary switch, forthe purpose of short-circuiting the first and last mentioned points ofcontact of the said normally open switch in order to connect theauxiliary source of power to the main source of power through a smallresistance or, a fractional part of said large resistance.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a. surface-contact railway systemembodying my invention.

Referring now to the drawing, F represents the feeder, which isconnected to the sections of a sectional conductor or contactstuds Gthrough a plurality of electromagnetic switches, such as B.

Arepresents the sectionalpick-up or switchenergizing conductors.

The collector-shoes carried by the car are represented by D and D, thecar-motor by M, the controller by C, and the auxiliary battery by B.

The operation is as follows: By closing the three-point switch S thestorage-battery circuit, one side of which is grounded at g, iscompleted through one or more of the actuatingcoils of theelectromagnetic switches B, (depending upon the location of the car onthe track,) thereby picking up the first switch or first two switches,as the case may be. When once picked up, the current flows from thefeeder through the contacts of the switch B, sectional conductor orcontact-stud G, collector-shoe D, controller C, resistance 1", motor Mto ground or return, and also in shunt to the motors through theresistance 1', switch so doing a larger amount of current than theactuating coil of the switch B can 'carry passes through it from themain source of power through part of resistance a", conductor 2, switchS, conductors 3 and 1, shoe D, and sectional conductor A. Normally thebattery receives its charging-current by the momentary closing of thethree-point switch S; but as it may not be necessary to use the batteryto pick up the switches B more than a few times during the day thebattery may not receive sufficient charge from this source, and it maybe necessary then to use the auxiliary switch S to further charge thebattery. This switch S cuts out part of the resistance 1" from thebattery-charging circuit, but

leaves the full amount of the resistance r in series with theactuating-coil of the switch B, thus eliminating danger to the coil bykeeping the current down to proper proportion. The switch S is used forthe purpose of opening the switch Bby disconnecting its actuating-coilfrom the feeder in case of an emergency or whenever it is desirable todo so.

Although I have shown and described my invention as applied to asurface-contact railway system, I do not intend to limit myself to sucha system, as the invention is of general application in systems ofelectrical distribution.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-

I. In an electric circuit, a feeder connected with a main source ofenergy, an electromagnetic switch, a resistance, a secondary battery, anormally open switch which serves when closed to connect said battery tothe actuating-coilof said electromagnetic switch, whereby saidelectromagn etic switch is caused to close, and also serves to connectsaid battery to said feeder through a part of said resistance for thepurpose of recharging the battery after the electromagnetic switch isclosed, and to connect said actuating-coil to the feeder also through apart of said resistance to maintain said electromagnetic switch closed,and means tending to maintain said normally open switch in its openposition.

2. In an electric circuit, a feeder connected to the main source ofenergy, an electromagnetic switch, a resistance, a secondary battery,means for connecting the actuatingcoil of said electromagnetic switchwith the feeder through said resistance and the contacts ofsaidelectromagnetic switch, and a normally open switch which serves whenclosed to connect the battery to the actuatingcoil of saidelectromagnetic switch, whereby the electromagnetic switch is caused toclose, and also serves to connect the battery and said actuating-coil tothe feeder through a part of said resistance for the purpose ofrecharging the battery and maintaining the said electromagnetic switchin its closed position. I

3. In an electric circuit, a main source of energy, an auxiliary sourceof energy, an

electromagnetic switch, a resistance, means for connecting theactuating-coil of the electromagnetic switch with the main source ofenergy through said resistance and the contacts of said electromagneticnormally open switch, a switch serving when closed primarily to connectthe auxiliary source of energy to the actuating-coil of theelectromagnetic switch, whereby the said electromagnetic switch isenergized, and secondarily to c011- nect the auxiliary source of energyand the actuating-coil of the electromagnetic switch to the feederthrough a part of said resistance for the purpose of recharging theauxiliary source of energy from the main source of energy and formaintaining said electromagnetic switch in its closed position, andmeans tending to maintain said normally open switch in its openposition.

4. In an electric circuit, a feeder connected with a main source ofenergy, an electromagnetic switch, a resistance andasecondary battery, anormally open switch which serves when closed to connect said battery tothe actuating-coil of said electromagnetic switch, whereby said switchis caused to close,and also when said electromagnetic switch is closedserves to connect said battery and said actuating-coil to said feederthrough a part of said resistance, whereby said battery is recharged andsaid electromagnetic switch is maintained closed, said actuating-coilremaining connected to said feeder through the whole of said resistanceafter the normally open switch has been opened.

5. In an electric circuit, a feeder connected with a main source ofenergy, an electromagnetic switch, a resistance and a secondary battery,a normally open switch adapted when closed to connect said battery tothe actuating-coil of said electromagnetic switch,whereby said switch iscaused to close, and also adapted to connect said battery and saidactuating-coil to said feeder through a part of said resistance, wherebysaid battery is recharged and said electromagnetic switch is maintainedclosed, means for maintaining the connection between the saidactuating-coil and said feeder through the whole of said resistance andthe contacts of the electromagnetic switch after said normally openswitch has been opened, and an independent switch adapted to connectsaid battery to said feeder through the contacts of said electromagneticswitch and part of said resistance when it be comes necessary to furthercharge the battery.

6. In an electric circuit,a main source of energy, an electromagneticswitch, a resistance, an auxiliary source of energy, and a threepointswitch which when closed serves primarily to complete the circuit fromthe auxiliary source of energy through the actuatingcoil of saidelectromagnetic switch, thereby causing said electromagnetic switch toclose, and secondarily to connect the said actuating-coil and saidauxiliary source of power to the main source of power through part ofsaid resistance and the contacts of said electromagnetic switch, wherebythe electromagnetic switch is maintained in its closed position and theauxiliary source of power is recharged, the actuating-coil of saidelectromagnetic switch remaining connected to the main source of energythrough the whole of said resistance for the purpose of maintaining saidelectromagnetic switch closed after the three-point switch has beenopened and the auxiliary source of power thrown out of circuit.

7. In a surface-contact railway system, a feeder, a sectional Workingconductor, electromagnetic switches for connecting said feeder to thesections of said working conductor, a storage battery carried by thecar, a normally open switch for connecting said battery to theactuating-coil of said switch, means for connecting said coil to saidfeeder through a resistance, and auxiliary means independent of saidnormally open switch for connecting the battery to the feeder through afractional part of said resistance.

8. In a surface-contact railway system, a

I feeder, a sectional working conductor, electromagnetic switches forconnecting said feeder to the respective sectionsof said conductor, asectional switch-energizing conductor the sections of which arerespectively connected to the actuating-coils of said electromagneticswitches, a storage battery and a resistance carried by the car, anormally open switch adapted when closed to connect said battery to saidsectional switch-energizing conductor, and to connect said battery andsaid actuating-coil to said sectional working conductor through part ofsaid resistance.

9. In a surface-contact railway system, a feeder, a sectional workingconductor, electromagnetic switches for connecting said feeder to therespective sections of said conductor, a sectional switch-energizingconductor the sections of which are respectively connected to theactuating-coils of said electromagnetic switches, a storage battery anda resistance carried by the car, a normally open switch adapted toconnect said battery to said sectional switch-energizing conductor, andto connect said battery and said actuating-coil to said sectionalworking conductor through part of said resistance, and means forconnecting said switch-energizing conductor with said working conductorthrough the whole of said resistance in order to maintain saidelectromagnetic switch closed after said normally open switch has beenopened.

10. In a surface-contact railway system, a feeder, a sectional workingconductor, electromagnetic switches for connecting said feeder to therespective sections of said conductor, a sectional switch-energizingconductor the sections of which are respectively connected to theactuating-coils of said electro magnetic switches, a storage battery anda resistance carried by the car, a normally open switch adapted whenclosed to connect said battery to said sectional switch-energizingconductor, and to connect said battery and said actuating-coil to saidsectional Working conductor through part of said resistance, and anindependent switch for connecting said battery with said sectionalworking conductor through part of said resistance.

11. In a surface-contact railway system, a feeder, a sectional workingconductor, electromagnetic switches for connecting said feeder to therespective sections of said conductor,switchenergizing conductorsconnected to the actuating-coils of said switches, a resistance and astorage battery carried by the car, a switch for connecting the saidresistance between the sectional working conductor and theswitch-energizing conductors, an independent normally open switch havingits contacts arranged to connect the battery to the switch-energizingconductors and to complete a circuit from the feeder to recharge thebattery, and means tending to maintain said normally open switch in itsopen position.

12. In a surface-contact railway system, a feeder, a sectional workingconductor, electromagnetic switches for connecting said feeder to therespective sections of said conductor,switch-energizin g conductorsconnected to the actuating-coils of said switches, a resistance and astorage battery carried by the car, means connecting the said resistancebetween the sectional working conductor and the switch-energizingconductors, a switch having its contacts arranged to connect the storagebattery to the switch-energizing conductors and to complete abattery-recharging connection to the feeder, and means for maintainingsaid switch in a normally open position.

13. In a surface-contact railway system, a I

feeder, a sectional working conductor, electromagnetic switches forconnecting said feeder to the respective sections of saidconductor,switch-energizing conductors connected to the actuating-coilsof said switches, a resistance and a storage battery carried by the car,means connecting the said resistance between the sectional workingconductor and the switch-energizing conductors, a switch having itscontacts arranged to connect the storage battery to theswitch-energizing conductors to initially energize the switches and toconnect the said battery and the switch energizing conductors to thefeeder for recharging the battery, means for maintaining said switch ina normally open position, and an independent switch for connecting thebattery with the feeder.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of May,1902.

SAMUEL B. STEWART, JR.

